U.S. patent number 6,470,267 [Application Number 09/665,129] was granted by the patent office on 2002-10-22 for man navigation system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pioneer Corporation, Increment P Corporation. Invention is credited to Takashi Nozaki.
United States Patent |
6,470,267 |
Nozaki |
October 22, 2002 |
Man navigation system
Abstract
A man navigation system comprises a map display device for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data, a point
specifying device for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by the map display device,
a condition setting device for setting a condition for route
setting, a route setting device for setting a route connecting the
first point and the second point in the map image specified by the
point specifying device based on the condition set by the condition
setting device, and a route display device for displaying the route
set by the route setting device on the map image displayed by the
map display device.
Inventors: |
Nozaki; Takashi (Tokyo,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Pioneer Corporation, Increment P
Corporation (Tokyo, JP)
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Family
ID: |
17414274 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/665,129 |
Filed: |
September 20, 2000 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 20, 1999 [JP] |
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11-265225 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
701/533; 701/425;
701/433 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C
21/3476 (20130101); G01C 21/3484 (20130101); G01C
21/3676 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01C
21/34 (20060101); G01C 21/36 (20060101); G06F
165/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;701/209,210-213
;340/990,998 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 715 289 |
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Jun 1996 |
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DE |
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0 372 840 |
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Jun 1990 |
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EP |
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0 703 433 |
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Mar 1996 |
|
EP |
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0 770 979 |
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May 1997 |
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EP |
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Primary Examiner: Camby; Richard M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue Mion, PLLC
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A man navigation system comprising: map display means for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data; point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by said map display means;
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting;
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by said point
specifying means based on the condition set by said condition
setting means; route display means for displaying the route set by
said route setting means on the map image displayed by said map
display means; a user registration database containing user
information relating to a user; and a facility information database
containing information relating to facilities in the map image,
wherein said condition setting means evaluates the user information
stored in the user registration database and sets said condition
based on said user information, and wherein the route setting means
evaluates said condition, determines particular facilities in said
facility information database that correspond to said user
information based on said condition, and sets said route based on
the particular facilities.
2. The man navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said
user information includes at least one of a user's sex, age, and
hobby.
3. A man navigation system, comprising: map display means for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data; point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by said map display means;
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting;
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by said point
specifying means based on the condition set by said condition
setting means; route display means for displaying the route set by
said route setting means on the map image displayed by said map
display means, wherein said condition setting means sets said route
setting condition based on user information including at least one
of a user's sex, age, and hobby, and wherein the user information
is previously recorded in a user registration database and said
condition setting means sets the route setting condition by reading
the user information from the user registration database.
4. The man navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said
condition setting means sets, as the route setting condition, at
least one condition selected from a time that the user intends to
utilize the route, a weather, a season, and a climate.
5. A man navigation system, comprising: map display means for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data; point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by said map display means;
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting;
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by said point
specifying means based on the condition set by said condition
setting means; route display means for displaying the route set by
said route setting means on the map image displayed by said map
display means, wherein said condition setting means sets said route
setting condition based on user information including at least one
of a user's sex, age, and hobby, and wherein said route setting
means has a facility information database storing information about
facilities positioned in the map image displayed by said map
display means, retrieves the facilities corresponding to the user
information from the facility information database, and selects a
route including the retrieved facilities as the set route.
6. The man navigation system according to claim 4, wherein said
route setting means retrieves, from the facility information
database, the facilities corresponding to at least one condition
selected from the time, the weather, the season or the climate
which is set as the route setting condition by said condition
setting means, and selects a route including the retrieved
facilities as the set route.
7. The man navigation system according to claim 5, wherein the
facility information stored in the facility information database is
recorded based on a request of an advertisement provider.
8. The man navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said
route setting means has a route database storing information about
a route on the map image displayed by said map display means and
sets a route based on the route information retrieved from the
route database.
9. The man navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the
route information stored in the route database is related to
presence of an arcade.
10. The man navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the
route information stored in the route database is related to
positions of entrances and exits of public buildings.
11. A man navigation system, comprising: map display means for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data; point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by said map display means;
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting;
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by said point
specifying means based on the condition set by said condition
setting means; route display means for displaying the route set by
said route setting means on the map image displayed by said map
display means, wherein said route setting means has a route
database storing information about a route on the map image
displayed by said map display means and sets a route based on the
route information retrieved from the route database, and wherein
the route information stored in the route database is related to a
position of a sidewalk provided on both sides of a road.
12. A man navigation system, comprising: map display means for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data; point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by said map display means;
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting;
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by said point
specifying means based on the condition set by said condition
setting means; route display means for displaying the route set by
said route setting means on the map image displayed by said map
display means, wherein said route setting means has a route
database storing information about a route on the map image
displayed by said map display means and sets a route based on the
route information retrieved from the route database, and wherein
the route information stored in the route database is related to a
position of a crosswalk provided on a road.
13. The man navigation system according to claim 5, wherein said
route display means displays the facilities retrieved from the
facility information database to be distinguished from other
facilities on the map image displayed by said map display
means.
14. The man navigation system according to claim 6, wherein the
facility information stored in the facility information database is
recorded based on a request of an advertisement provider.
15. The man navigation system according to claim 6, wherein said
route display means displays the facilities retrieved from the
facility information database to be distinguished from other
facilities on the map image displayed by said map display
means.
16. A method of retrieving a route through a man navigation system
including a map information providing site, a map database site,
and a route setting site, comprising: in said map information
providing site, receiving starting and destination points from a
terminal; transmitting position information of the staring and
destination points in said map information site, and URLs of said
map database site and of said route setting site to said terminal;
in said map database site, receiving the position information from
said terminal; transmitting map data of an area corresponding to
the position information to said terminal; in said route setting
site, receiving the position information from said terminal;
obtaining user information from a user database; obtaining
advertisement information from an advertisement database based on
the user information; retrieving a route on based on the position
information, the user information, and the advertisement
information; and transmitting route information to said
terminal.
17. A man navigation system, comprising: map display means for
retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data; point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by said map display means;
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting;
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by said point
specifying means based on the condition set by said condition
setting means; route display means for displaying the route set by
said route setting means on the map image displayed by said map
display means, wherein user information is previously recorded in a
user registration database and said condition setting means sets
the route setting condition by reading the user information from
the user registration database.
18. A man navigation system, comprising: a display; a user
registration database; a controller that retrieves map data
corresponding to particular area from a database and instructs said
display to display a map image based on the retrieved map data, an
input device that specifies at least one of a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed on the display, wherein the
controller determines a route setting condition and determines a
route connecting the first point and the second point in the map
image based on the route setting condition, wherein the controller
instructs said display to display the route on the display map
image, and wherein user information is previously recorded in said
user registration database and said controller sets the route
setting condition based on the user information stored in the user
registration database.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for displaying a route
from a start point to a destination in a map image read from a
database and displayed, thereby navigating people.
In recent years, a map information retrieving display system such
as an electronic dictionary for map information developed for an
information retrieving equipment and a server for map information
provision connected to internet has been improved with the spread
of the information retrieving equipment such as a microcomputer and
the rapid expansion of an information providing service to be
provided through the internet.
The map information retrieving display system is utilized by
inputting a land mark such as an address or the name of facilities,
retrieving map data on a desirable area from an electronic
dictionary set up to the information retrieving equipment and a
database of a server for map information provision which is
connected through the internet, and displaying a map image of the
map data in a display section and printing the map image.
The present applicant has proposed a route information providing
system for displaying the shortest route connecting a starting
point and a destination which are specified on a map image through
map data on a desirable area retrieved from the database in the
prior application (JP-A-10-102512).
The route information providing system previously stores route
information in route computing database, carries out route
computation based on the route information retrieved from the route
computing database when the JR Kamata Station is specified as a
starting point S and the Keikyu Kamata Station is specified as a
destination G on a map image shown in FIG. 10, for example,
displays the shortest route L giving priority to a highway
connecting the starting point Sand the destination G together with
character data indicative of a total distance through a coloring
(road coloring) method, thereby navigating people.
Thus, the route information providing system in the prior proposal
has an excellent feature that a user can easily get the route
information indicative of the shortest route from the starting
point to the desirable destination.
However, the user wants to select a route capable of achieving a
desirable object on the route from the starting point to the
destination in place of the shortest route depending on
circumstances.
For example, the user wants to take a meal, do shopping or do
things in a banking agency during a movement from the starting
point to the destination and a store for this purpose is not
positioned along a highway but on a back street in some cases.
In some cases, moreover, the user wants to select a route to the
destination depending on circumstances such as a weather.
The user's requests are varied depending on various causes such as
the user's age, sex and hobby, and is changed depending on
circumstances such as a day of the week, a time zone or a
weather.
On the other hand, commercial utilization has recently been
extended with the recent spread of the map information retrieving
display system. For the route information providing system,
similarly, usefulness of an advertisement medium has been
acknowledged increasingly, for example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been made to meet the user's demand for the route
information providing system.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a
man navigation system capable of displaying a route meeting the
user's demand and of being utilized as an advertisement medium when
displaying a route connecting a specified starting point to a
destination as a map image to navigate people.
In order to achieve the object, a first aspect of the invention is
directed to a man navigation system comprising map display means
for retrieving map data on a required area from a database and
displaying a map image based on the retrieved map data, point
specifying means for optionally specifying a first point and a
second point in the map image displayed by the map display means,
condition setting means for setting a condition for route setting,
route setting means for setting a route connecting the first point
and the second point in the map image specified by the point
specifying means based on the condition set by the condition
setting means, and route display means for displaying the route set
by the route setting means on the map image displayed by the map
display means.
In the man navigation system according to the first aspect of the
invention, a route connecting the first point and the second point
which is optionally specified by the point specifying means, that
is, a starting point and a destination which is set by the route
setting means based on the condition set by the condition setting
means is displayed by the route display means on the map image
displayed by the map display means.
For example, in the case in which the condition setting means is to
set a route set condition based on user information including a
user's sex, age, character, hobby and preference, the route setting
means sets a route to pass through a store corresponding to the
user's hobby. Moreover, in the case in which the condition setting
means is to set, as a route set condition, at least one condition
such as a time and time zone that the user utilizes the route
connecting the first point and the second point, a weather, a
season or a climate, route setting is carried out corresponding to
various route setting conditions, for example, a route in which an
arcade is provided or a route passing through large facilities is
set.
The user can display the route set corresponding to the route
setting condition on the map image displayed on a display such as a
terminal equipment, thereby receiving navigation while seeing the
displayed route.
According to the first aspect of the invention, when the route
connecting the specified first point (starting point) and second
point (destination) is to be displayed on the map image to navigate
a man, the shortest route is not simply set but the route is set
corresponding to a condition set for each user, for example, the
user's hobby or depending on a time zone for utilization and a
weather. Therefore, a route to meet the user's demand can be set
for navigation at each time. In addition, when specific facilities
are to be set as the route setting condition, for example, the
facilities can be specified for an advertisement provider. Thus,
the man navigation system can also be utilized as an advertisement
medium.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
first aspect of the invention, a second aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the condition setting
means sets a route setting condition based on user information
including a user's sex, age, character, hobby and preference.
In the man navigation system according to the second aspect of the
invention, a route passing through facilities such as a store
dealing in goods adapted to the user's sex, age and hobby, for
example, is set based on user information which is previously
registered or is input during route setting.
According to the second aspect of the invention, therefore, when
the route connecting the specified first point (starting point) and
second point (destination) is to be displayed on the map image to
navigate a man, the shortest route is not simply set but a route
corresponding to each user's preference is set. Consequently, the
navigation can be carried out while guiding the user to a more
useful route. Thus, a new discovery of the area can be given to the
user. Furthermore, commercial utilization such as an increase in a
purchasing will can also be obtained.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
second aspect of the invention, a third aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the user information
is previously recorded in a user registration database and the
condition setting means sets the route setting condition by reading
the user information from the user registration database.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the third
aspect of the invention, the route setting condition is set by the
condition setting means based on the user information previously
recorded in the user registration database.
Accordingly, the user can automatically receive the navigation
through the man navigation system according to a route meeting the
user's preference based on the user information read from the user
registration database.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
first aspect of the invention, a fourth aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the condition setting
means sets, as the route setting condition, at least one condition
such as a time and time zone that the user utilizes the route
connecting the first point and the second point, a weather, a
season or a climate.
In the man navigation system according to the fourth aspect of the
invention, a route is set based on at least one condition such as a
time and time zone, a weather, a season or a climate when the user
is to receive the navigation.
For example, in the case in which the time and time zone that the
user is to receive the navigation is a time for a meal, it is
possible to set a route passing through a restaurant or passing
without getting wet in the rain if any.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, therefore, when
the route connecting the specified first point (starting point) and
second point (destination) is to be displayed on the map image to
navigate a man, it is possible to navigate the man through a more
useful route than the case in which the man is simply navigated
through the shortest route.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
second aspect of the invention, a fifth aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the route setting
means has facility information database storing information about
facilities positioned in the map image displayed by the map display
means, retrieves the facilities corresponding to the user
information from the facility information database, and selects a
route including the retrieved facilities as a set route.
In the man navigation system according to the fifth aspect of the
invention, when the route setting means is to set a route based on
the user information in the second aspect of the invention,
facilities corresponding to the user information are retrieved from
the facility information database previously storing information
about facilities positioned in the map image.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, therefore, the
facilities corresponding to the user information can be retrieved
easily and the facilities having information stored in the facility
information database are set to have advertisement provision.
Consequently, the man navigation system can also be utilized as an
advertisement medium.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
fourth aspect of the invention, a sixth aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the route setting
means has facility information database storing information about
facilities positioned in the map image displayed by the map display
means, retrieves, from the facility information database, the
facilities corresponding to at least one condition such as the time
and time zone, the weather, the season or the climate which is set
as the route setting condition by the condition setting means, and
selects a route including the retrieved facilities as a set
route.
In the man navigation system according to the sixth aspect of the
invention, when the route setting means is to set a route based on
the condition such as a time for utilization of navigation or a
weather in the fourth aspect of the invention, facilities adapted
to the condition are retrieved from the facility information
database previously storing information about the facilities
positioned in the map image.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, therefore, the
facilities adapted to the time for utilization and the weather can
be retrieved easily and the facilities having information stored in
the facility information database are set to have advertisement
provision, for example. Consequently, the man navigation system can
also be utilized as an advertisement medium.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
fifth or sixth aspect of the invention, a seventh aspect of the
invention is directed to the man navigation system wherein the
facility information stored in the facility information database is
recorded based on a request of an advertisement provider.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the
seventh aspect of the invention, the route setting means sets a
route based on a position where the facilities of an advertisement
provider are located. Consequently, the advertisement provider can
utilize the man navigation system as an advertisement medium. Thus,
the man navigation system can be increasingly utilized
commercially.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
first aspect of the invention, an eighth aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the route setting
means has a route database storing information about a route on the
map image displayed by the map display means and sets a route based
on the route information retrieved from the route database.
In the man navigation system according to the eighth aspect of the
invention, the route database stores information about a route on
the map image. When the route setting means is to set a route based
on the route setting condition, it retrieves, from the route
database, information about a route to be set, for example,
information such as the presence of an arcade, positions of
entrances and exits of large facilities, identification of right
and left of a sidewalk provided on both sides of a road and the
position of a crosswalk.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, therefore, it is
possible to set a fine route which is more adapted to conditions
such as user information or a weather.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
eighth aspect of the invention, a ninth aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the route information
stored in the route database is related to presence of an
arcade.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the ninth
aspect of the invention, for example, in the case in which the
route setting means is to set a route as the route setting
conditions, a road having an arcade provided thereover is selected
to set a route in case of the rain. Consequently, it is possible to
carry out navigation to guide the user to such a route as not to
get wet in the rain.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
eighth aspect of the invention, a tenth aspect of the invention is
directed to the man navigation system wherein the route information
stored in the route database is related to positions of entrances
and exits of large facilities.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the tenth
aspect of the invention, for example, in the case in which the
route setting means is to set a route by using the weather as the
route setting condition, it sets a routs passing through large
facilities in which an umbrella is not required in case of the rain
or fair midsummer and provide a cool state through high
air-conditioning. Consequently, it is possible to carry out
navigation to guide the user to a more useful route than a movement
in the shortest distance.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
eighth aspect of the invention, an eleventh aspect of the invention
is directed to the man navigation system wherein the route
information stored in the route database is related to a position
of a sidewalk provided on both sides of a road.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the
eleventh aspect of the invention, for example, in the case in which
the facilities adapted to the route setting condition such as user
information face a road having a sidewalk provided on both sides,
it is possible to carry out navigation through fine route setting
capable of deciding which side of the sidewalk has the facilities
and utilizing the facilities without the user crossing the
road.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
eighth aspect of the invention, a twelfth aspect of the invention
is directed to the man navigation system wherein the route
information stored in the route database is related to a position
of a crosswalk provided on a road.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the
twelfth aspect of the invention, for example, in the case in which
the user crosses the crosswalk, it is possible to carry out
navigation through such fine route setting as to reach, at the
shortest distance, the facilities in the crosswalk provided on the
intersection which are adapted to the user information.
In order to achieve the object, in addition to the structure of the
eighth aspect of the invention, a thirteenth aspect of the
invention is directed to the man navigation system wherein the
route display means displays the facilities retrieved from the
facility information database to be distinguished from other
facilities on the map image displayed by the map display means.
According to the man navigation system in accordance with the
thirteenth aspect of the invention, for example, when the route
setting is to be carried out in the fifth or sixth aspect of the
invention, the facilities adapted to the user information retrieved
as the route setting condition or the weather are displayed on the
route set in the map image through expansion, coloring or flashing
such that they can be distinguished from other facilities.
Consequently, the user can utilize the facilities easily.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a man navigation system
according to an embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a customer file recorded in a user
registration database according to the embodiment of the
invention,
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of a route setting
procedure according to the embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displaying
a result of route setting according to the invention,
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another example of the screen
displaying the result of the route setting according to the
invention,
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating yet another example of the screen
displaying the result of the route setting according to the
invention,
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a further example of the screen
displaying the result of the route setting according to the
invention,
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a further example of the screen
displaying the result of the route setting according to the
invention,
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a further example of the screen
displaying the result of the route setting according to the
invention, and
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen displaying a result of
route setting through a conventional man navigation system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment which seems to be the most suitable for the invention
will be described below in detail with reference to the
drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a map information
retrieving system according to an embodiment of the invention.
In FIG. 1, a terminal equipment T is connected to an internet I
through a public telephone network and an access server which are
not shown, and a map information providing side S1, a map
information database site S2 and a route setting site S3 are
connected to the internet I, respectively.
The map information providing site S1 serves to give a providing
service for map information through a WWW (World Wide Web) and
generalizes the information provision, to a terminal equipment T,
from a map database site S2 and a route setting site S3 which will
be described below.
The map information providing site S1 includes a WWW server S1a and
a land mark database S1b storing a land mark such as an address or
facilities and data indicative of their position information. The
WWW server S1a accesses the land mark database S1b based on
information input from the terminal equipment T, thereby specifying
the landmark such as an address or facilities from the input
position information or acquiring corresponding position
information from the specified land mark, which will be described
below.
The map database site S2 serves to give a retrieving display
service for map information on the internet, and includes a map
server S2a for reading map data and transmitting the map data to
the terminal equipment T and a map information database S2b storing
position information indicative of coordinates through a latitude
and a longitude, map display information such as a reduced scale or
a map size and image data on a map corresponding to these
information.
The route setting site S3 serves to set an optimum route adapted to
the conditions set by each user in a route connecting a starting
point and a destination which are specified by the user through the
terminal equipment T, and includes a route setting server S3a
storing a program for route setting, a route database S3b recording
vector data indicative of a road on a map which are required for
the route setting by the route setting server S3a, an advertisement
provider database S3c recording registration data of an
advertisement provider such as a store or a shop, and a user
registration database S3d recording user information.
The route database S3b of the route setting site S3 stores all
information about a road, for example, information about a road
required for route setting such as the type of the road, for
example, a general road, a special road for cars or a special road
for pedestrians, the identification of right and left sidewalks
provided on the road, the positions of a signal and a crosswalk at
an intersection, the presence of an arcade and the positions of
entrances and exits which face various roads in a large store, for
example, a department store.
Moreover, the advertisement provider database S3c records
registration data on an advertisement provider such as a store or
shop association which provides an advertisement in the form of a
customer file f shown in FIG. 2. The customer file f records, for
each advertisement provider, data on a position of a store on a map
required for the route setting carried out by the route setting
server S3a, a type of industry, goods to be dealt and a business
hour, which will be described below.
The user registration database 53d records, for each user,
information which utilizes the man navigation system and is
previously registered, for example, information required for the
route setting such as a sex, an age, a hobby, a preference and a
hometown.
The terminal equipment T is a user terminal capable of receiving a
WWW service by using an application program referred to as a WWW
browser.
For the terminal equipment T, a portable telephone having a
so-called i mode function and PDA (Personal Digital Assistants)
including a portable terminal such as a mobile are used in addition
to a personal computer.
Next, a method of retrieving a route through the man navigation
system will be described with reference to a flow chart shown in
FIG. 3.
First of all, a user which wants to receive the provision of
navigation information from the man navigation system connects the
terminal equipment T to the internet I through a public telephone
network and an access server, and specifies a URL (Uniform Resource
Locator) of the map information providing site S1 through the WWW
browser set up to the terminal equipment T (Step s1).
The map information providing site S1 transmits, to the terminal
equipment T, an image through a HTML (HyperText Makeup Language)
text of a home page for providing navigation information and
displays the image based on the specification of the URL through
the terminal equipment T (Step s2).
Next, the user inputs an ID and a password for specifying the user
on the home page displayed on a display of the terminal equipment T
and specifies a starting point and a destination which are to be
navigated (Step s3).
At the Step 33, moreover, if there are additional conditions for
the route setting, for example, conditions other than set
conditions included in the user information which are previously
registered on the user registration database S3d of the route
setting site S3 such as a time, a weather and an item to be
required (meals or shopping) for the passage through a set route,
the same condition is input.
At the map information providing site S1, the WWW server S1a
acquires, from the land mark database S1b, posit ion (coordinate)
information about an area including a starting point and a
destination which are specified through the land mark database S1b
specified in the terminal equipment T based on information about
the starting point and the destination, and creates an HTML text
indicative of the URLs of the map data base site S2 and the route
setting site S3 which have the position (coordinate) information
and data on a map image corresponding thereto and transmits the
HTML text to the terminal equipment T (Step s4).
The terminal equipment T accesses the map database site S2 and the
route setting site S3 based on the information received from the
map information providing site S1 (Step s5).
At the map database site S2, the map server S2a acquires, from the
map information database S2b, map data on an area corresponding to
the position information received from the map information
providing site S1 through the terminal equipment T and transmits
the map data to the terminal equipment T (Step s6).
On the other hand, at the route setting site S3, the route setting
server S3a reads, from the route database S3b, route data on a road
connecting the starting point and the destination which are
specified in the terminal equipment T and reads a user file
recorded on the user registration database S3d based on the user's
specific information input through the terminal equipment T (Step
s7).
Furthermore, if the route setting conditions such as the user's
age, sex and hobby which are recorded on the user file read from
the user registration database S3d and the additional conditions
are input through the terminal equipment T, a customer file f for
an advertisement provider which is adapted to the additional
conditions is read from the advertisement provider database S3c at
the route setting site S3 (Step s8).
The route setting server S3a sets an optimum route adapted to the
user set conditions in the route connecting the user specified
starting point and destination based on the route data read from
the route database S3b and the customer file f for the
advertisement provider read from the advertisement provider
database S3c as described above according to a stored program for
the route setting, and transmits the route information to the
terminal equipment T (Step s9).
A route setting manner in the route setting server S3a will be
described below in detail.
The terminal equipment T displays a map image on the display based
on map data transmitted from the map database site S2 and displays
a route set between the starting point and the destination on the
displayed map image through coloring (road coloring) based on the
route information transmitted from the route setting site S3 (Step
s10)
Next, the route setting manner at the Step s9 will be described
based on examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 9.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show the case in which a route adapted to the user's
sex, age and hobby is set based on the user information registered
on the user registration database S3d of the route setting site
S3.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, in the case in which the
user is a woman and loves jewelry and clothes, a jewelry store a
and a boutique b between a starting point S and a destination G
which are specified are picked up from jewelry stores and boutiques
which are registered on the advertisement provider database S3c and
the shortest route L1 passing through the jewelry store a and the
boutique b is set.
If the user's hobby is reading, a book store c between the starting
point S and the destination G which is specified is picked out from
book stores registered on the advertisement provider database 3c as
shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore, if the user is young, a registered
convenience store d selling magazines is also picked up and the
shortest route L2 passing through the book store c and the
convenience store d is set.
FIGS. 6 to 8 show the case in which a route is set in the user's
consideration of additional conditions together with the user
information registered in the user registration database S3d of the
route setting site S3 when the user input additional conditions
such as a time, a time zone, a date or a weather to set the
route.
In other words, FIG. 6 shows an example in which the user inputs PM
0:00 to 1:00 for a time zone in which the route is passed.
In this example, the route setting server S3a decides that the
input time zone is taken for a meal, thereby picking up an eating
house between the starting point S and the destination G which is
specified from eating houses such as a restaurant which are
registered on the advertisement provider database S3c.
Then, if the route setting server S3a further decides that the user
is elderly based on the age recorded in the user information of the
user registration database S3d when picking up the eating house, it
picks up a Japanese restaurant e from the eating houses and a route
L3 passing therethrough is determined as a set route.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example in which a time for utilization, a
time zone and a date which are related to the route are input as
additional conditions or a weather during the utilization is
input.
In this example, the route setting server 3a sets a route based on
weather information such as a weather or a climate which is
acquired from the route setting site S3 or other systems or sites
or weather conditions input by the user on the basis of the input
time, time zone and date.
For example, if the weather in the weather information is rain, a
route L4 passing through a shopping district to be an advertisement
provider having an arcade g, and furthermore, passing through a
convenience store h selling an umbrella is set such that the user
can walk without getting wet in the rain as shown in FIG. 7.
Moreover, in the case in which the weather in the weather
information is rain or fair in the midsummer, a route L5 passing
through a large store j such as a department store or a supermarket
having entrances and exits j1 and j2 facing different roads which
is an advertisement provider such that the user can keep out of the
rain or pass through a route with high air conditioning as shown in
FIG. 8.
Such a route L5 passing through the large store j can be set by
storing data on the positions of the entrances and exits of the
large store to be the advertisement provider in the route database
S3b of the route setting site S3, respectively.
In the route setting manner, if the store of the advertisement
provider picked up during the route setting faces one of sidewalk
sides on a large road, one of sidewalks w on both sides of a road R
where a picked-up store k is located is set as a route as shown in
FIG. 9 through the storage of data on the identification of right
and left sidewalks provided on a road, a signal on an intersection
and the position of a crosswalk in the route database S3b of the
route setting site S3 as described above.
When the data on the route set in the route setting site S3 as
described above are transmitted to the terminal equipment T and the
set route is displayed on the map image, a store corresponding to
the user information or the additional conditions is enlarged, is
differently colored or flashed for the display or only main
facilities such as a station or an institution and a store
corresponding to the user information or the additional conditions
are displayed on the map image so that the store can be
distinguished from other stores.
Moreover, in the case in which the user is to specify the same two
points again to set a route, he (she) can get an opportunity for a
new discovery related to area information if a route different from
the set route is set.
While description has been given to the case in which the starting
point and the destination are specified on a home page for
providing the map information during the route setting and the map
image and the set route are acquired in the terminal equipment T at
the same time, it is also possible to display a map image in a
desirable area on the terminal equipment T and to specify a
starting point and a destination and input route setting conditions
on the displayed map image.
Moreover, if the there is no advertisement provider database, it is
also possible to select facilities corresponding to user
information and additional information from related information
registered for facilities displayed on a map and to set a
route.
Furthermore, while description has been given to the case in which
the user information about the route setting is previously
registered in the advertisement provider database S3c, it is also
possible to input all user information during a route setting
operation in the terminal equipment T.
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